FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is making a controversial visit to the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus, marking 51 years since the 1974 invasion.
The Turkish president will attend the inauguration of several projects funded by Turkey.
His visit comes just days after informal talks in New York, where Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar reiterated his support for a two-state solution, calling for expanded cooperation in energy and water supply.
He also proposed opening new crossing points and widening existing checkpoints between the north and south.
Tatar claimed that Turkish Cypriots have gained nothing from five decades of negotiations based on a federal framework.
He repeated his longstanding position that no agreement is possible without Turkey’s “effective and genuine” guarantees and the continued presence of Turkish troops. He also renewed calls for direct flights, trade, and diplomatic engagement with the north.